Entry #1: What Really Went Down in Salem

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Taking place in 1692, in the Puritan society of Salem, MA, the ‘Witch-hunt’ became the most notable historical event in Salem history. This religiously devout community was susceptible to hysteria as fear was common throughout the community. With talks of abandoning their old faith and rumors of treason, the community was nervous about the possibility of losing their dreams of an ideal town based on religion. In fact, there was a common belief throughout society that “the Devil was constantly trying to find ways to infiltrate and destroy Christians and their communities”(history of Massachusetts). The vulnerability of this community allows us to understand the social circumstances of the era. Briefly, young girls began to act strangely, and after a doctors examination, the elders concluded that the girls had been touched by the Devil and were found to be bewitched. They began to name other people, placing the blame on their maids and others close to them. As this hysteria started, young girls, wives, children, and a few men were brought into court and testified about being ‘witches’. Many confessed, perhaps in hopes that they would be spared for ‘admitting’ their guilt, but most adults found their family name tarnished, and some found death waiting for them after their confession. In total, around 200 people, including men and children but mostly women, were accused of being witches. The official death count for the trials is set at 20, supported by documents we have today. I invite you to refer to this insightful timeline and historical blog post to understand the trials more deeply and the effect they had on the community as it was torn apart. Do these historical accounts match up with your own recollections of the event in Salem? In what ways do they differ? Comment below! Here are the links to the timeline and historical records, including personal letters from citizens of Salem: “The Salem Witch Trials Victims: Who Were They?” History of Massachusetts, 29 Apr. 2019, historyofmassachusetts.org/salem-witch-trials-victims/. https://www.history.com/topics/colonial-america/salem-witch-trials http://salem.lib.virginia.edu/home.html

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